By executive order Iowa’s Governor has established a renewable portfolio standard for state operations that leans heavily on in-state renewable energy sources. Governor Tom Vilsack’s order directs state agencies to obtain at least 10 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2010 and to reduce their energy use in buildings by 15 percent by 2010 relative to their energy use in 2000.

The 10 percent renewable standard will mean that about 179,000 MWhs of electricity consumed by Iowa state agencies will have to come from renewable energy technologies (most likely wind power). Engineers with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Energy and Waste Management Bureau estimate that this could equate to approximately 30-35 MW of renewable energy generating capacity.

The order also requires the state’s light-duty vehicle fleets to consist of either hybrid-electric vehicles or vehicles running on alternative fuels by 2010 (the order exempts law-enforcement vehicles). Alternatively fueled vehicles currently include gas-fueled vehicles using at least eighty-five percent ethanol, diesel fueled vehicles using at least 20 percent soybean oil (biodiesel), and vehicles using compressed or liquefied natural gas, propane or solar energy. Iowa currently has 1,367 E85 vehicles in the state’s fleet.

The order also requires that bulk diesel fuel purchased for use by state agencies must contain 5 percent renewable fuel (such as biodiesel) by 2007, 10 percent by 2008 and 20 percent by 2010.

More

• Full Text of the Executive Order Number 41 – issued by Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, April 22,2005